Early Church · 150

The Epistle to Diognetus

Mathetes (fl. c. 130-200 AD)

An anonymous reply to a pagan inquirer named Diognetus, written by an author who calls himself only Mathetes, meaning a disciple. It explains why Christians reject both idol worship and Jewish ritual, describes how believers live as resident foreigners in every nation, and presents God's sending of his Son as an act of love rather than judgment. Among the most polished pieces of early Christian apologetics, it survives as a window into how the second century church explained itself to a curious outsider.

21 min total · 12 chapters